


Stories of exile

by Anonymous



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Beta/Omega, Brief Depiction of M/F Sex, Cunnilingus, Don't Like Don't Read, Everybody Lives, I wrote this for me but y'all can read it if you want, Id Fic, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Minor Character Death, Multiple Pairings, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega/Omega Relationships, Pack Dynamics, Self-Indulgent, Slow Burn, Smut, Tags May Change, Trans Dopheld Mitaka, Trans Male Character, sort of???
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:33:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22283410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Omegaverse, canon-divergent. Stories of the First Order in exile after their defeat.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Dopheld Mitaka/Kylo Ren, Armitage Hux/Kaplan, Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren, Dopheld Mitaka/Thanisson, Peera Maso/Rumitar Shay
Comments: 22
Kudos: 95
Collections: Anonymous





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Look, fam. It's my sandbox. I'll play in it however I damn well want.

It was the best outcome they could have hoped for, under the circumstances. Those First Order personnel who refused to join the resurrected Republic, or whose crimes were too great for clemency, were marooned on a remote planet in a specially-built compound, with enough tools to eke out an existence from the land. Perhaps one day their children would be granted freedom, but they never would.

The planet had another name, but the prisoners there called it Exile. Perhaps it was less painful to think of it as a place rather than a sentence. Either way, General Hux would not be leaving, and neither would Kylo Ren. On the first evening of their banishment they climbed to the top of the rocky cliffs which overlooked their duracrete homes and surveyed the land as if they were still conquerors.

"Nothing?" Hux asked, after a while.

"Nothing," Kylo answered quietly. "I don't know what it is about this place, but the Force - it's hard to connect with here. Maybe Rey did something. I don't know." He gazed out over the sparse landscape with its coarse skeletons of trees and its patchy, pale grass. The sky above them was grey - had been ever since they arrived, and Hux was beginning to wonder if they'd ever see the sun.

"No, I somehow suspected there wouldn't be an easy way out," he told Kylo wearily. "Even if there was some way to contact the remnants of the Sith Eternal, what's to say they'd help us? We failed. Palpatine is dead."

"Then we have a problem," Kylo replied, not looking at him.

"We have a number of problems. Are you referring to one in particular?"

"We have substantially fewer omegas than we do alphas." Ren arched an eyebrow. "And in a population of four thousand, that has the potential to go wrong very quickly."

"Only for those omegas who didn't take the heat cessation treatment." The New Republic had offered the surgery to all omegas who were being shipped down to Exile. Only about a third of them had agreed. The others either hadn't trusted the enemy surgeons not to kill them under anaesthetic, or had refused out of sheer bloody-mindedness. In Armitage's case, it was a little of both.

"No, for everyone. We don't have access to hormone suppressants or scent-blockers, Hux. We'll need to carefully manage the situation in order to prevent fighting."

Hux scoffed. "And what are you suggesting? Arranged marriages? A _lottery system_? I'm not being randomly assigned to some alpha for the sake of social cohesion."

"I'm saying that we may need to just allow people to organise themselves into packs. Don't look at me like that, Hux. Some societies still do it."

"Civilised societies don't." Hux's jaw clenched. He was trying not to regret his decision.

"If you have any better ideas, I'm willing to hear them," Kylo told him. When Hux didn't reply, he said, "I thought not," and started back down the cliffs.

* * *

The buildings in their compound were simple and prefabricated, only a step up from tents, and there weren't enough for everyone to have their own dwelling. Instead, they organised themselves by phenotype - omegas with omegas, betas with betas, alphas with alphas - and occasionally by gender. It was almost like living in barracks, which made the adjustment easier for many. In the first few days there was equipment to set up and crops to plant, and little time for much else, but within a week they'd had their first altercation. Two alphas, Lieutenant Rodinon and Petty Officer Unamo, fighting over a young female omega approaching her first heat. Hux had to wade in to break it up.

"You are _not_ savages," he hissed. "Lieutenant Stynnix is perfectly capable of making her own decisions." He looked back at Kylo. "Get a guard detail of betas together. Find somewhere secluded for her to stay. You, and you -" Hux thrust a finger at each of the offending alphas in turn. "Get a hold of yourselves. Take a cold shower if you must. The next person I see _brawling_ will be thrown out of the compound and left to fend for themselves."

Unamo and Rodinon slunk off - in separate directions. Kylo, who hadn't left yet, was fixing Hux with a slightly amused look.

"They still follow your orders," he said, when the two were alone again.

"I don't see anyone else around here taking charge," Armitage huffed, rolling up his sleeves as he headed back to the power generators to continue working.

"Give it time." Kylo didn't seem too concerned, which confused Hux. His force-abilites were greatly reduced, which made him vulnerable. If it were him, Hux would be sleeping with one eye open. Maybe he knew something Hux didn't. Maybe he was just tired.

* * *

A small group of omegas, mostly engineers and weapons techs, were turfed out of their barracks and told to sleep somewhere else for a few days. Inside, an omega medic did what he could for Stynnix, which amounted to little more than some cold, wet towels and a meagre supply of medication. Hux had originally objected to this waste of resources - there weren't many more painkillers where those came from, until the promised yearly airdrop from the New Republic containing the bare minimum they needed to sustain quality of life - but the medic had interceded on her behalf.

"She's young," he told Hux. "The first time is always the most difficult."

The scent of her heat clung sweet and heady to the medic's clothing. It made Hux feel a little uneasy. Omegas in the First Order fleet controlled their cycles through suppressants and scent blockers, and it was rare to be aware of another's pheromones so blatantly. Hux wondered if they'd need to build a separate structure outside the compound to prevent any more problems. Already, some of their engineers were talking about expanding; they'd been left with a modest amount of construction materials and there were trees nearby that could be harvested for their wood.

Hux had barred alphas from going anywhere near the building, so it came as an unpleasant surprise that evening to see a small group gathered outside, eating and chatting quietly amongst themselves. It came as even more of a shock to see that there was not a single alpha among them. Hux frowned as he approached.

"What's the meaning of this?"

Lieutenant Mitaka and Petty Officer Thanisson looked up from their food as he came near. Mitaka got uncertainly to his feet, but Thanisson remained sitting on the ground.

"Sir?" the Lieutenant asked.

"I gave strict orders that Stynnix was to be left alone."

"We're... not disturbing her, sir." Mitaka looked back at the others, a roughly even mixture of betas and omegas. "We're just eating."

Hux was just about to tell them to eat somewhere else when a low growling interrupted his thoughts. An alpha woman, some pilot who'd been in command of one of the Finalizer's TIE wings, had been sidling past. Thanisson and a couple of other omegas were staring straight at her, and it took Hux a moment to realize that the growling was coming from _them_.

It was well-known that humans had the capability to growl, but to know it and to hear it were two very different things entirely. Not even _alphas_ growled in the First Order - it was tantamount to stripping off your uniform and running naked through the corridors.

The alpha pilot cowered and slinked away again.

Hux's disbelieving stare made Mitaka shrink down slightly, though the omega Lieutenant hadn't even participated.Thanisson seemed less apologetic. He cocked his chin at Hux as if daring him to respond. It was a clear challenge to his authority, but Hux was so stunned that all he could manage was a choked "Carry on, then," before retreating.

He had to slip into the communal showers and scrub the pheromones from his skin before he felt normal again.

* * *

"Sounds like they're co-nesting," Kylo murmured, after the first leadership meeting had adjourned.

The exiles seemed to be retaining a vague rank structure for now, but Hux had felt safer hearing it laid out. Each remaining member of High Command still had their loyal underlings, even that crusty old beta Pryde. Hux was concerned that this may lead to a splitting-off of factions in the future, but for now, everything seemed relatively stable. Perhaps people were too concerned with their immediate survival to worry about politics.

"Co-nesting?"

Kylo was standing under the awning outside of the conference building - little more than a glorified barn, with corrugated durasteel walls and a pair of thin, drafty doors that had to be opened manually. The evening sky was clear, for once, and tinged with grey. He was looking out over the nearby buildings, their gently sloped roofs and small narrow windows.

"You don't know what that is?" He gave Hux a skeptical look.

"Of course I know what it is," Hux sneered, sounding more certain than he felt. "Tooka cats do it."

" _Humans_ do it, sometimes. They say omegas can be drawn to each other by heat pheromones. They'll comfort each other, protect each other... sometimes they even share alphas."

"Ridiculous. Since when were you an anthropologist, Ren?"

"Since I had an education outside of a military junta." Kylo cocked his head toward the building where Stynnix had been confined. A group of omegas had set up a small campfire outside it, which couldn't have been very safe. Hux imagined he could scent their combined bodies from here. It made him want to take another shower, but water was still being rationed.

"There's a river," Kylo murmured.

Hux balked at him.

"I can still sense thoughts, General." The Supreme Leader - former Supreme Leader? - turned his head. "Sometimes. There's a river about half a mile downhill. Come on."

"I'm not taking a bloody _bath_ with you."

"You'd prefer to go on your own?"

Hux hesitated. He found himself in the bewildering position of trusting Ren more than he trusted Pryde's or Parnadee's lackeys not to try and assassinate him.

What had changed? He wasn't entirely sure, but before he knew it he found his instincts taking the reins, and leading him step-by-by step outside the walls of their compound, down to where the river lay dark in its bank of long grass.


	2. Chapter 2

The sky darkened as the two of them made their way down the slope. If the guards at the gate were casting any aspersions on why Hux and Ren had decided to venture out alone at this time of evening, they kept them to themselves. Hux wasn't sure why they even _had_ gate guards, since there weren't any significant predators for miles, and the compound housed the only sapient life on the planet. Maybe it gave everyone a sense of normality.

The chirruping of insects rose up around them, and the evening air was sweet with the scent of alien flowers in bud. There was a small copse of trees down by the river, and though their branches were still bare they provided enough cover for Hux to strip down while Kylo set up a lantern nearby.

Hux laid out his uniform on the bank, wondering how they were going to manage for clothing once their current supply wore out. Apparently one of the engineers could extract and hand-spin plant fibres, so maybe in a year's time they'd have an entire ball of yarn between them. Very encouraging.

He crouched down in the water, allowing the level to reach his waist, and scrubbed under his arms.

"Decent?" Kylo called out.

"What?"

"Are you - can I come out?"

Hux glanced down, skin prickling anxiously. But he refused to look like a coward. "I don't care, Ren. You've seen it all before."

Kylo stepped out, naked and muscular, and Hux was very, _very_ careful to keep his gaze at the level of the alpha's eyes. He knew Ren had an attractive body; they'd slept together before, once or twice, though never during Hux's heats. Still, it wouldn't do to inflate Kylo's ego further, or send mixed messages. Hux was here to clean up, and that was all. The subtle goosebumps rising on his arms and the spark of heat in his belly didn't get a vote.

Unbothered by his state of undress, as always, Kylo eased into the river and waded a small distance from Hux before kneeling down to rinse off. One of the planet's moons had risen early, casting its light on the rivulets of water over Kylo's biceps. Hux felt a moment of panic, but calmed himself.

_It's alright. You're not in heat; you've given him no reason to hurt you. Not recently, anyway._

"I've been thinking," Kylo called, not looking at him. Hux waited for him to continue, biting back a sarcastic comment, and Kylo did. "From what I know about clans, 150 is about the maximum size, but the average is a lot lower. We'll need to talk about establishing some kind of hierarchy."

"Still convinced we'll lapse into barbarity, I see." Hux clipped. "Tell you what, I'll let _you_ put that observation to High Command. See how they take it."

"You'd be surprised." Hux heard a splash, and turned. Kylo was moving toward him. Hux shrunk back, hand automatically moving to his waist before he realized he wasn't even wearing clothes, much less a blaster. He reared away, sending drops of water scattering. Kylo paused and raised an eyebrow before reaching out to grab one of Hux's boots, which had slipped from the bank and was rapidly sinking in the river.

"You could have just _told_ me," Hux spat. Kylo tossed it into dry land again.

"What did you think I was going to do, Hux? If I'd wanted you dead, I'd have killed you long before now."

"That's not what I was afraid of," Hux replied, before I could stop himself. Kylo's expression froze. He looked almost apologetic.

"Hux-" he began, but the former General was already scrambling up onto the bank and pulling his uniform back on, not even bothering to dry off. Perhaps wisely, Kylo didn't follow.

* * *

When Hux reached the compound again, his right foot was uncomfortably squelchy and damp, the air cold enough to make his wet clothing feel unpleasant, and he'd been in a foul enough mood already before that. Seeing Thanisson slip out of the isolation building in full view of the two beta guards was the last straw. He slicked his hair back, charged over, started shouting.

"Petty Officer, I gave _specific_ orders that she was _not_ to be disturbed!"

The two betas shrank back slightly, but Thanisson stood firm. "Sir, I realize that, but-"

"No, you clearly _don't_ realize. Spending too long around another heating omega could set off your cycle prematurely, and the whole compound would be in chaos before you know it. It is frankly irresponsible-"

"Sir, with respect, there's no proof of that. It's a superstition." Thanisson sounded annoyed. Hux's hackles rose.

"Are you _questioning_ me?"

"As a matter of fact, _sir_ , I am." The younger omega straightened up and cocked his chin. The small group around the campfire was watching guiltily, and others were filtering out of nearby doorways, perhaps disturbed by the raised voices. Thanisson continued. "This is a prison, not a Star Destroyer. If we're to survive here, we need to change the way we do things, and Lieutenant Stynnix is _suffering_ in there. If it helps her to have some of us with her, then-"

Back in the Order, Hux wouldn't have let Thanisson get to the end of his first sentence before having him shot. Now, though, all their blasters had been confiscated, and Hux found himself rooted to the spot with anger, and perhaps also fear.

He couldn't afford for this uppity young man to threaten his authority. Without the protective influences of technology and the military hierarchy, Hux was just another omega, and there were plenty of alphas out there willing to take his place, or worse.

" _Some of us_?" he gritted out. "Exactly how many are in there, Petty Officer?"

Thanisson had gone a little pale, and his lips were pressed into a thin, determined line. He gestured toward the doors in silence.

"You first," Hux told him. "And if any harm has come to the girl, you'll be getting far worse than sewage detail tomorrow morning."

* * *

The isolation cabin was set up much like every other building in this compound. Thin, high windows, thick duracrete walls and floor, metal support beams holding up the low sloped roof. No structure had more than two storeys, and most had only one; few of them had more than two rooms inside, with the exception of the communal freshers tacked on to each barracks block.

Inside, the lanterns were turned low, and instead of the usual vague bedclothes-and-damp scent, Hux was hit by a veritable wall of pheromones, sticky-sweet and cloying. Four of the metal bunks had been pushed together in one corner, and a makeshift nest constructed atop the mattress in which not one but _three_ omegas were currently lying, with others idling around close by. They looked around as Hux approached, with expressions ranging from shocked guilt to nervous defiance. Hux was perturbed to see Mitaka among them.

Lusica herself was stretched naked and unconscious between two other omega officers, gunnery chief Peera Maso and her assistant Rumitar Shay. Both were stripped down to their underwear, their hands paused in the act of wiping damp towels over Stynnix's slender limbs.

Something about the whole scene struck Hux as infuriatingly _animal_ , and he felt rage bubble up within him. Less than a week on this planet and they'd already regressed from proud officers into little more than primates. Worse still, the scent of pheromones in the air was having an almost soporific effect on him; some traitorous part of him didn't even want to be angry, wanted in fact to join them, and the thought made him sick. He clenched his fists at his sides.

"Out," he snapped. "Everyone but Lieutenant Stynnix - _out_. That's an order."

Nobody moved for a moment. Then Mitaka started to slink from his chair. Beside Lusica, Peera sat up.

"Rumitar's heating too, sir-"

"Any individual who is _not currently in heat_ will vacate this building immediately," Hux interrupted, through gritted teeth.

Mitaka was standing up now, but nobody else was. Even the Lieutenant didn't seem inclined to move much further. Abruptly, a low rumbling sound cut into the silence from behind him, and Hux looked back to see Thanisson actually _growling_ at him. 

"You are on thin fucking ice, Petty Officer!" Hux enunciated, but he soon realized the sound wasn't just coming from Thanisson. Rumitar and Peera were growling too, now, and Hux felt a deep unease growing in his chest. He had the strangest urge to hunch his shoulders, as if startled, and what's more, it seemed very hard to fight against. Something had changed in the air, making it bitter and inhospitable.

Seeing Lusica herself wake, sit up, and start growling at him too was the tipping point for Hux. He turned proverbial tail and ran, stumbling out onto the cool evening with an unfortunate lack of dignity. The few stragglers who were still watching became suddenly interested in something else, and the three omegas at the campfire looked distinctly smug.

Hux tugged his wrinkled, drying tunic down to straighten it, shot a disdainful sneer at nobody in particular, and stalked off to be alone. He'd have a serious talk with those beta guards later. Right now, he needed to catch his breath, and work out exactly _what the fuck_ had just happened.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning found Hux no wiser than he had been the day before. He'd lain awake most of the night turning the situation over in his head, and barely got in two hours of sleep before dawn came. His dreams had been feverish and strange, visions of himself curled up in the isolation cabin with Stynnix and Mitaka until the two Lieutenants started to growl at him, forcing him to flee.

As a member of High Command, he was one of the few people who'd managed to claim private sleeping quarters - well, it was originally intended to be a storage shed, but it counted. The small room now seemed cramped and lonely in comparison to last night's dream, and the faint scent of pheromones and pollen followed him into the cold light of dawn. Over in the communal freshers, he scrubbed at his skin until it was raw. His hair was still wet by the time Tritt Opan found him outside.

"High Command's called another meeting, sir - they're gathering in the conference hut," he told Hux.

Tritt seemed to have replaced Mitaka as his adjutant for now, perhaps by some mutual agreement between the two of them. Hux wasn't sure whether this was a sign of his own crumbling authority or a sign that Dopheld, too, was going into heat.

He knew Tritt often helped Mitaka in those periods, despite the assassin being a beta; some betas had the ability to knot, although they didn't respond to pheromones in the same way. Perhaps Tritt was one of them. Either way, Hux had greater concerns than Mitaka's absence. He let the Captain lead him to the meeting, and when Kylo's eyes met his as he entered the cabin, he quickly looked away.

"I'll dispense with small talk," General Parnadee told them, clasping her hands together in front of her on the unsteady wooden table. "There was a serious incident earlier this morning, and I doubt it'll be the last. An omega in the beginning stages of heat was assaulted whilst in isolation."

"Find out who was responsible. Bring them to me." Kylo's tone was dark, and seemed to invite no argument, but Parnadee hesitated.

"We already know who the culprit was, sir, and discipline won't be possible in this case. He's already dead."

A subtle shifting passed round the room. A few officers sat back; Kylo simply raised both eyebrows. Hux set his expression and tried to ignore the itching beneath his skin.

"He was found badly beaten in a communal fresher block," the woman continued. "The omega concerned has a watertight alibi, and there were no witnesses to the perpetrator's movements afterward. At all."

"I doubt that," Kylo murmured. "I'll take over the questioning myself. General-"

"With respect, sir," Admiral Griss interrupted, leaning forward, "That doesn't feel like a very productive use of your time. There are far more pressing matters to attend to. Whatever isolation procedures General Parnadee enacted, for example, clearly aren't working. I'd suggest employing a similar method to the officers under General Hux's command."

Nobody spoke. Hux was half-expecting to see Griss thrown across the table for his insolence, but Kylo actually seemed to be considering his suggestion. No matter that the idea of having other omegas join Stynnix wasn't his to begin with.

"Which begs another question," Pryde cut in, perhaps bolstered by Kylo's lack of reaction to any interruption so far. "We've established that each officer here is responsible for the conduct of all personnel who had reported to them previously, but I doubt this is going to work for long. Already people are moving between barracks, sometimes to the opposite side of the compound..."

Hux found himself unable to concentrate as the conversation moved on to matters of organization. Strangely, the brazen assault of a vulnerable omega bothered him more than the fact the perpetrator had been murdered; it made him uneasy, and he wasn't convinced that having some kind of... of _communal heat-cabin_ would be enough of a deterrent. For one, he doubted any of the omegas would actually want to have sex in front of each other, which created the need for _additional_ spaces and _additional_ security, and Hux had enough to keep him busy as it was.

He hadn't felt right since he woke up this morning, probably due to the stress. This would only add to it.

"So are we all agreed?" Kylo was asking. The deep tones of his voice dragged Hux out of his thoughts, snagged against something deep within him and pulled. "We'll divide leadership geographically, with each of you taking charge of the personnel within your section, and have one cabin set aside per division so omegas have somewhere to go-"

"Supreme Leader, I'm not convinced that will work," Hux blurted out. "For one, you've failed to take into account an omega's need for privacy during this time, and for another, it's well-established that exposure to certain pheromones can trigger the onset of another omega's heat."

General Engell, the only other omega in the room, raised a slim, well-manicured eyebrow at him. "Actually, General, scientific consensus holds that this is correlation rather than causation. An omega nearing their heat period will naturally be drawn to others at the same stage of their cycle.

"As for privacy, there's very little we can do with the space available. Once our agricultural equipment is set up, then it should absolutely be a priority for our construction teams, but for now, the best we could do is to have occupants of smaller or individual quarters relocate to a larger barracks." She gave Hux a pointed look at this. Hux silently told her to _fuck off_.

Ren smirked.

"Agreed. General Parnadee, the new division of leadership would put Colonel Garmuth under your command, yes?" he said, which only served to raise Hux's hackles further. Previously, Garmuth had been _his -_ an older omega security officer with a keen eye for detail. Hux ground his teeth.

This couldn't be his hill to die on - his situation was precarious enough as it was, without him drawing negative attention to himself - but _stars_ , it was infuriating. Fuck Kylo Ren and his metaphorical knot-waving. When Kylo called his name at the end of the meeting, he pretended not to hear, and sped out before anyone could accuse him of insubordination.

He felt the need to visit the fresher again, his uniform sticking uncomfortably to his body though the day was not particularly warm. Rationing be damned; there should be _some_ perks still attached to his rank.

It was only when he reached back to clean himself in the shower cubicle that he felt the distinct slickness between his legs, and realized, with a quiet sense of terror, that he was going into heat.

* * *

Hux was packing up his meagre possessions in his storage-cabin-slash-former-bedroom when Mitaka slipped into his doorway. The Lieutenant still stank of pheromones, which made Hux's lip curl in disgust, and the subtle fondness for the other omega now lurking in the pit of his stomach only made matters worse.

These feelings weren't his. They were a result of his omega biology, and Hux resented being strung along by his genetics in such a way.

"Sir?" Mitaka asked him, a little timidly. Hux scowled over at him.

"What? What is it?"

"I heard. About you losing your room. And, well." He cleared his throat. "I know it's happened at an unfortunate time. I just wanted to let you know there's a bed made up for you in the isolation cabin-"

"How could you _possibly_ know that?" Hux snapped.

"Your cycle coincides with mine, sir. And a few people have made... comments about your scent."

Shit. Of course. They didn't have access to scent blockers any more; how could he have been so careless? Swallowing down panic, he twisted his face into an expression of scorn.

"If the entirety of High Command knows, there's really no point in me hiding, is there?" He dropped his bag onto the bed. "I might as well lock myself up in here until it passes. Ren's orders be damned. I trust you can find an adequate guard detail for me-"

"Sir." Mitaka's voice was strained. "I really think you might be more comfortable with us. Stynnix is coming out of it now, and it's only been a day. It truly does make things easier."

Hux ran a hand through his hair. Give in and go with Mitaka, or stay here and risk causing a fuss? The answer was obvious, although Hux hated to admit it. And at least in the isolation cabin he'd be better-protected. After all, you couldn't even trust betas, sometimes. He picked up his bag again.

"Right. Fine. Lead the way," he clipped. Mitaka smiled with relief.

* * *

The layout of the cabin had been altered a little since Hux was there last. Now, the mattresses were laid on the floor, with sparsely-built nests stop some and a few of the metal bedframes acting as barriers between them - though they bestowed little privacy. Lanterns were dotted around at intervals, and a couple of crates had been laid in the centre containing ration bars and water canteens.

It was oddly cosy, though the whole place stank of those disgusting pheromones. Hux steeled himself as Mitaka led him in, noting with distaste that of the six or seven omegas occupying the cabin, all of them were in their underwear, and a few were entirely naked. Heads rose sleepily around him as Hux made his way to an empty mattress.

He did his best to keep his gaze fixed ahead, not wanting to see the others in such an intimate position, but at the sound of a quiet moan from a nearby nest, Hux couldn't help but glanced to the side. He very nearly dropped his bag. Peera Maso and Rumitar Shay were clasped together in a passionate embrace, Peera's slim hand working its fingers into-

"Kriffing hell!" Hux blurted out. Rumitar craned his head to look back at Hux, his eyes hazy with desire and unsettlingly content. Peera, apparently unswayed, pressed her face against Rumitar's neck and breathed in deeply.

"The fuck is he doing here?" came a voice from the opposite side - Thanisson's, and there was a growling tone to his words that raised Hux's hackles. Mitaka lifted his hands apologetically.

"He's in heat, Niall. He doesn't mean any harm-"

"He isn't welcome here." Thanisson, his slim frame clad only in a pair of undershorts and a vest, picked himself up from his mattress and strode over. "Go on. Get the fuck out. You're making the others nervous, I can smell it."

Some of the nearby omegas seemed to agree. A young technician curled his lip at him; there came a low growl from elsewhere, and that same bitter tang in the air that Hux had sensed the last time he came. The General straightened his spine.

"You have some nerve, Petty Officer," he began, but Thanisson's ensuing growl cut him off.

"Your rank means nothing here. Get out. I don't care where you go."

Mitaka took his arm. Usually, Hux would have had him court-maritalled for his insolence, but it seemed the rules had changed, and his traitorous instincts were telling him to run. He allowed the Lieutenant to pull him back into the clear air, and the lack of that cloying scent was scant recompense for his feelings of utter rejection and primal fear.

"Sir, I'm so sorry," Mitaka said. "I don't know what happened in there."

"Is that - _normal_?" Hux spluttered. "Maso and Shay. Is it - don't tell me there's some sort of _orgy_ going on in there."

Mitaka flushed.

"It's not - look, I don't know how to explain it. It's uncommon, yes, but nobody seems to mind. Once you've been in there half an hour you'll stop minding too."

"Little chance of that now," spat Hux. "It seems I have no choice but to-"

To what? Speak to Kylo Ren? Ren, who'd scent his heat on him, and - no. That couldn't happen. The thought of taking relief with Kylo, of allowing the alpha to see him at his most vulnerable - it was impossibly enticing, and out of the question. Hux trailed off.

"Look. Talk to Colonel Kaplan," Mitaka said quietly. "He's - well, he's a service alpha. I know you've worked with him, you might - well, it'll be over quicker that way."

"A service alpha?" Hux couldn't quite believe what Mitaka was suggesting.

"He's like Tritt," the Lieutenant clarified. "He'll help you, he's safe. I've - seen him, a couple of times. He's... very discreet."

Why Mitaka had chosen to eschew suppressants during his service, Hux would never understand. Perhaps it was for medical reasons. He'd never looked closely at that part of his Lieutenant's files.

"Right," Hux replied quietly. "Fine." The cramping in his pelvis was starting in earnest now, and he could no longer think clearly for the yearning that had risen inside him. It would be better than going to Ren, at least, or - or _disgracing himself_ with another omega as Shay and Maso were doing. "Tell Tritt I'll be unavailable for the day - have one of the beta guards find Kaplan. I'll be waiting in -"

His room? No - that wasn't his any more. The lack of privacy in this compound was becoming painfully apparent now.

"- by the river," Hux croaked. "I'll talk to him down by the river, next to the copse of trees." Where Ren had slipped into the water with him, where the moonlight had caressed his skin like a kiss.

"Down by the river," Mitaka repeated. "Of course, sir. Good luck."

Hux didn't reply, just hurried toward the gates, head down, skin burning, shame dogging his every step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As with IRL sex/gender, secondary gender in this fic is a spectrum too. Mitaka refers to Opan as a "service alpha", Hux thinks of him as a "beta with the ability to knot". Tritt's actual self-definition is not given, although one would imagine it to be less problematic than the way Hux and Mitaka refer to him.
> 
> Note that this fic is written from Hux's POV, with all the internalized shame and unreliable narration that entails.


	4. Chapter 4

Hux slowed his breathing as he scaled the slope, waited until he was fully out of sight to finally let himself run his hands over his face and loosen the top button of his uniform. He was warm, so warm, and he was _alone_ out here. They'd confiscated his monomolecular blade before he landed so all he had was a stolen knife from the kitchen, but if he needed to defend himself it wouldn't be enough.

Heat made the muscles weak, they said. Made you passive, and liable to jump into the arms of the first alpha who passes, if they didn't jump you first. Hux knew first-hand how vulnerable an omega could be at this time, and he didn't want to repeat the experience.

He couldn't bring himself to strip off, though his skin was burning. Instead he sat down on the bank and took off his shoes and socks, dipping his feet into the cool water afterwards. The sky was white with cloud, the breeze quiet against the branches of the trees. Gradually, Hux let himself relax, and tried not to think about Kylo Ren. At least he was wearing a heat pad. (Kriff knows what they'd do when _those_ ran out. A lot more laundry, probably.)

After half an hour of waiting he heard the soft brush of footfalls through the grass, and slipped his hand in his pocket to grasp the knife. A slim figure was trudging down the hill, clad in a greatcoat and with a satchel slung over one shoulder, boots speckled with dust. Kaplan.

"Sir?" he asked quietly. Hux took a breath and stood up on the bank, not bothering to put his shoes back on. He moved out from the trees a little, putting his hand on the trunk of one as if to reassure himself. There was moss on the bark, the only green thing about the whole landscape right now, and it felt soft under his fingers.

Kaplan seemed almost surprised to see Hux, though Mitaka must have told him. He couldn't imagine coming out here to help some omega whose name he didn't even know. After a moment, his walk sped up, and he moved to stand alongside Hux as if he was doing nothing more than delivering a mission briefing.

"There's an alcove some fifty yards along from here, and it's sheltered," he said, in a calm, quiet tone. "All today's scouting missions are on the north side, so we won't be spotted."

Hux swallowed. "Right," he said weakly. "And you're - comfortable with this arrangement, I suppose?"

"Of course. This isn't the first time I've had to assist a comrade in need." He glanced down. "As long as this is still what you want, of course."

Kaplan was a few years older than Hux, with dignified, regular features and eyes the grey of an Arkanis sky. There was something appealing about the unobtrusiveness of his face, the fact it wouldn't stand out in a crowd; as if he could have been anyone, some stranger Hux had never met before. Perhaps it was simply his hormones talking, but in any case, it would make this this easier to bear.

Hux nodded and gestured for the Colonel to lead the way. He picked up his boots before following, the pebbles and grit of the riverbank rough beneath his feet.

In a gesture that would have been touching if Hux hadn't felt so agitated, Kaplan lay his greatcoat down when they reached the alcove and knelt on it, setting the satchel to the side. Hux sat shakily beside him, hoping he wouldn't leak slick onto the lining and add to his own humiliation. Without looking at the older man, Hux began to unfasten his tunic as Kaplan undressed beside him. The hair underneath his officer's cap was a light brown tinged with grey, and Hux wondered if he'd ever noticed the colour before.

Kaplan's voice was soft. "How do you prefer to-"

"Hands and knees," Hux managed. This would be uncomfortably intimate, otherwise. He peeled off his vest top next, the ID tags catching briefly on the neck, and when he finally lifted his hips to slide off his trousers he felt vaguely self-conscious about the slimness of his legs. But Kaplan was almost as slim as he was, and besides, the hot twist of desire inside him was making it difficult to think of anything except the task at hand. He was already hard, and had to mentally restrain himself from tearing off his underclothes and pinning Kaplan down.

It wouldn't do to look so undisciplined in front of a subordinate. Hux took a shaking breath and moved onto his front, supporting himself on trembling arms. The touch of the beta's hands on his hips was like a balm to his skin, although the maddening, irresistible alpha-scent was absent. In a way, this was better; he could maintain at least a little control.

A reassuring palm was laid in the small of his back as a slim finger traced down his slick-damp cleft and eased into him. Hux bit back a moan. "It feels like you're ready, sir. Give me a moment," he heard Kaplan say, and drew his hand away again. Hux lowered his head, knowing the Colonel was probably working himself to hardness behind him. His hole twitched in protest at being left empty again, and he felt a fresh stream of fluid run down the backs of his thighs. So much for the greatcoat lining.

They didn't have access to condoms here, but Hux still had the contraceptive implant in his upper arm, and he touched the scar to reassure himself as Kaplan guided himself by hand to his opening. Then the Colonel pushed forward, and Hux gasped, too overwhelmed with pleasure and relief to feel embarrassed in the moment. He let his eyes flutter shut, let the thrill of satisfaction wash over him as Kaplan bottomed out and stayed there, his free hand resting once more on Hux's hip.

"Tell me when you're ready for me to move, sir," Kaplan murmured. His voice was low and breathy, and Hux wondered dimly who the Colonel was thinking of, who he was imagining here instead of Hux.

Ren had taken him like this, a few times. Where Kaplan was gentle and almost clinical, Ren had been a force of nature; passionate, hard, almost incognizant of Hux's pleasure or lack thereof - almost. He'd still been considerate enough, and there were moments where he had been almost loving. Hux had done his best to discourage this.

The thought of Ren pounding into him from behind made his cock thrum with need. "Move," he gasped out, before he even realized he was speaking. "Please." The hand on his hip moved to his waist and gripped softly. Kaplan set to a steady pace, pumping in and out of him with only the heaviness of his breath to indicate that he was getting something out of this too.

Kaplan paused for a moment, wordlessly encouraging Hux to tilt his hips and bear back a little, and when he resumed it was as if a touch paper had been lit inside his body. "Fuck. Oh fuck. _There_ ," Hux choked out, and the smooth lining of Kaplan's greatcoat wrinkled under his fingers as his hands curled into fists.

He was unable to stop himself from outright pretending he was with Kylo Ren, now, and when the pressure of his erection finally became too much to bear he gripped it and stroked out his climax with a few brisk tugs, shivering around Kaplan's cock, imagining distantly that it was Kylo's.

It was a relief, but only a slight one. Not until Kaplan had finally knotted inside him with a bitten-back groan did Hux finally feel anywhere near satisfied, and his awareness begin to return to him by degrees. He allowed the Colonel to ease him onto his side, the two of them still joined, his own release sticky against his right flank where he lay atop the evidence of his own release.

The burning under his skin wasn't gone, not entirely, and Hux was beginning to realize why not all omegas chose to spend their heats with a knotting beta. But it was enough for now. There was a canteen of water in the satchel Kaplan had brought, and the two shared it between them as if they were simply two comrades on a mission rather than two men joined by a knot.

They tied twice more before the symptoms were at a bearable level, Kaplan using his fingers occasionally to keep Hux sane while they waited for the Colonel's body to recover. By the end of it Hux was genuinely impressed by the man's stamina. Still, at one point it took over an hour before Kaplan was ready to get hard again, and the sky was darkening when they slipped into the river to wash. Though Kaplan had packed ration bars, and had even managed to spare enough time to eat one, Hux realized belatedly that he hadn't eaten all day - a common hazard for an omega in heat. Clearly betas lacked the instinct that encouraged them to make sure their partners were properly fed and hydrated while knotted. Either that, or Kaplan just hadn't wanted to make Hux feel patronised. It was an understandable concern.

They dried off silently, taking turns with the one towel that Kaplan had been able to bring with him. Hux slipped his clothes back on shakily while the Colonel balled up his greatcoat and shoved it under one arm, probably intending to wash it later. When the beta put his hat back on, Hux reached out to straighten it without thinking. Their eyes met. Slowly, Hux drew back his hand.

"My apologies," he muttered.

"No need, sir," Kaplan replied briskly. "If you're well enough to make it uphill, I can wait a short while to help maintain some discretion, if you'd prefer."

Now far more clear-headed than before, Hux suspected the gate guards would see straight through their charade, but dignity demanded that they at least _try_. "Thank you, Colonel. Truly. I trust this will remain between us."

"Of course," Kaplan replied. As Hux turned to leave, the Colonel cleared his throat, and added; "Sir, you... dropped something earlier. Here."

Hux turned. Kaplan was holding out the stolen kitchen knife to him, handle-first. Hux couldn't make out the Colonel's expression under the shadows of his cap, but for one strange moment it seemed almost as if Kaplan pitied him.

Hux took it, his words catching silently in his own throat, and hurried away.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Multiple POV because I can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter depicts a trans man receiving oral sex from a cis man and a list of terms used for his anatomy is in the end notes so you can check it before reading if you want. 
> 
> If you want to avoid the scene entirely, just stop reading after the second line break/the words "You have a towel", and then go to the next chapter (when there is one).

Mitaka had known his heat was approaching for a few days now. The prospect of spending it in the cabin didn't bother him so much as the prospect of not being able to share it with Tritt or Kaplan. Both were busy - Tritt with keeping things running, Kaplan with Hux - and so he resigned himself to the tender pity of the other omegas, some also heating, some just there for support.

Mitaka had half-expected them all to be thrown back onto the work detail. After all, their dry rations would only last for a year, and everyone who wasn't involved in equipment setup was busy planting the first wave of crops in the fields to the north. He and his bunkmates often came back to the barracks exhausted and with dirt ingrained beneath their fingernails. Comments had been made about the absence of the higher ranks from this duty.

But the walls of the isolation cabin - although it was more of a communal nesting area by now - seemed to comprise some kind of sacred circle where rank no longer mattered. Thanisson had growled at Hux twice already, and nothing had been done. There were rumours that the same kind of thing had happened in other sections of the compound, too; even whispers of a group of vigilantes taking out a guy who'd assaulted an omega a few sections over. Mitaka wasn't sure how he felt about that. Either way, the cabin seemed to be the safer option.

Inside, it was cosy and intimate, with the scent in the air and the makeshift nests transforming the space from cold militarism into something warm and welcoming. He set up on the mattresses next to Thanisson's, aware of how suspiciously the young Petty Officer was eyeing him, although he didn't get the sense that Niall was about to throw him out.

"Not seeing anyone, then?" Thanisson asked eventually. He seemed relaxed, if a little flushed. His pupils were dilated, a telltale sign that his heat would be in full swing soon.

"Kaplan's busy. And Tritt needs to take over from Hux for a day or two."

"Is that an accusation?" Niall said, a little playfully. Mitaka couldn't tell if he was entirely joking.

"You did ask. Besides, I don't see what harm he could have done in here." Mitaka stretched out, tired and aching, but nevertheless a little clearer-headed than he'd felt outside. Perhaps the calm surroundings helped.

"He was making people anxious. And I'm not just talking about yesterday - although having him storm in and shout at us certainly didn't help. I think it's his rank." Niall rolled onto his side, facing Mitaka. There was a metal bedframe between them, but they could see each other well enough through the gaps. "He's still considered to be in charge. People don't want their superiors to see them like this."

"Are you suggesting having a separate heat-cabin for _senior officers_?"

Niall made a noncommittal sound. "I'm suggesting that the current hierarchy may not last forever, not with the way things are going."

Even in their relaxed environment, it sounded dangerous to Mitaka, and he frowned.

"I'm not talking about a coup," Thanisson protested. "I'm saying - alright, so back in the Order, you generally had one alpha and one omega in a relationship, and - let's be honest - the alphas considered themselves in charge. Omegas got given suppressants or locked away during heats, alphas marched around acting like they owned the galaxy, and betas were just off doing their own thing while trying not to piss off the alphas. And the power structures of the Empire and the Order reflected that. Leadership was mostly alphas, with betas under them, and omegas had to fight their way in from the sidelines.

"But now we don't have the space or resources to maintain that kind of arrangement. Instead, we're just doing what we can to make things easier, and sometimes we're finding out that it works _better_ than what we had before. I mean, you can't tell me that spending your heats alone was ever this painless back in your own cabin, right?"

Mitaka had to agree. "It's still not _great_ , though."

"I guess, but now we're in the position to support each other through it. And Stynnix was out of here in less than two days; that's virtually _unknown_ for someone her age. I really think we're on to something here."

" _I_ think I'm far too horny for a conversation about phenotypical hegemony," Mitaka murmured. "And even if I wasn't, it sounds like you're reaching."

"I don't know about that." Thanisson sounded smug. "Give me a moment. I'll see if I can find you some wet towels."

* * *

It got worse, of course, although it still wasn't as bad as Mitaka's previous heats. He had to give Thanisson that. Eventually he just gave up and flung his slick-soaked underwear aside, electing to lie on a towel instead. He was past the point of caring about his nakedness, and nobody else seemed bothered. "I really fucking wish Tritt wasn't busy," he muttered.

Thanisson opened one eye and looked at him through the gaps in the bedframe between them.

"There's other service alphas," he said.

"I'm not exactly in a position to go out and find one, Niall."

"We could bring one here." Thanisson rolled onto his front, arching his back a little to try and relieve the cramping. "Maybe more than one. So you could choose. Maybe we could could keep a bunch of them on duty here. Like. I don't know. Concubines or something."

"Mmmh." Mitaka allowed himself to retreat into the fantasy for a moment, one hand idly brushing his own chest. "Not sure the others would tolerate it, though."

"Why not? They don't act like knotting alphas. They don't even _smell_ like them. And Rumitar and Peera have been fucking pretty much constantly, and nobody else seems to care."

"You think it'd actually be viable?"

"Don't see why not," Niall murmured. "Well. If we could spare the personnel. Which we can't."

"Yeah," Mitaka sighed.

"Yeah," Thanisson concurred, in a disappointed tone.

They looked at each other.

"We're thinking the same thing, right?" Thanisson said, one eyebrow quirking a little.

"Pretty sure we are, yep. Your mattress or mine?"

"Yours. You have a towel."

* * *

Thanisson didn't seem interested in fucking him at first, just buried his face between Mitaka's thighs and lapped up the slick gathering there. It was a pleasant surprise - most people tended to assume that all he wanted in his front hole was a knot, if they didn't avoid it entirely. He keened and let his head fall back, his fingers wandering through the other omega's cropped blond hair, pulling him in against himself.

"Fuck. You've done this before," he gasped.

Thanisson huffed a vague sound of confirmation against his pubic hair and licked a soft stripe between Dopheld's lower lips that made him shiver. Mitaka had to bite his own wrist to keep from screaming when he came.

"You want my fingers?" Niall asked, when he finally resurfaced to let the Lieutenant recover. Dopheld's body felt like it was buzzing all over, the space between his legs thrumming like a struck bell.

"Actually, what I _really_ want is your cock up my arse."

"You're gonna have to give it twenty minutes. I already got off while I had my face in your bush."

"That's some impressive multitasking," Mitaka panted.

Thanisson wiped slick from his lips and grinned up at him. "What can I say? I take pride in my work."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> List of terms used for trans man anatomy in this chapter:
> 
> \- front hole  
> \- lower lips  
> \- bush


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Content note:** This chapter depicts attempted rape. To skip it, search for the phrase "stay calm, sir" and then read from there. Summary of the scene is provided at the bottom for those who prefer not to read it in full.

Hux went straight for the nearest communal refreshers once he was back within the compound walls. The heat-scent was still on him, but propriety be damned; he needed a proper shower, and there was little chance of him being able to hole up somewhere private now.

On the up side, his symptoms were finally abating. He welcomed the chill of the night air on his skin as he stripped down in the changing area, knowing it meant that he was over the worst of it. Tomorrow might be a bit uncomfortable, but nothing he couldn't handle. If he was still exuding pheromones he'd just make sure to keep everyone at arm's length.

Everything was under control.

The knife slipped from his pocket as he hung up his greatcoat, clattering noisily onto the tiles. Hux cringed inwardly at the sound, and then at the memory - Kaplan must have thought him paranoid in the extreme. He trusted the man not to spread the story around, of course, but then he'd trusted others before, and look where that had got him.

_Enough. Think about it tomorrow._

His body was running on hormones, still thrumming with enough energy to sustain a full mating session, but Hux knew that he'd be tired and sore once it was all over. He needed to get his rest in while he could. After folding the rest of his clothes in a neat pile on the bench, he padded into the showers on bare feet, wrinkling his nose at the faint, stale alpha scent in the air. It wasn't enough to make him slick again, but it drew the attention of his instincts enough to be slightly irritating.

Each shower cubicle was separated by a thin panel of metal. There were no doors, only flimsy plastic drapes, but at least he had a modicum of privacy here. The lukewarm water was soothing against his skin, and he let himself drift off, no longer concerned about rationing for now.

Someone pulled back the curtain.

Hux made an undignified noise of shock and spun round, instinctively backing up. Too late, he realized that he was only trapping himself further, and as he met Lieutenant Rodinon's eyes he cursed himself for not bringing the kitchen knife with him.

"Shh," the alpha was murmuring, moving in with that terrifying glint in his eyes, the one that warned of lust and danger and oncoming rut. "It's alright, sir. I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to help."

Hux punched him in the face.

There wasn't enough room to get a proper swing. Rodinon was still able to get hold of his arms to pin him against the back wall, though the impact of Hux's fist stunned him enough to allow the General to wrestle out of his grip. The shower was still on, and he felt the metal fixture scrape against his back as he struggled to his freedom, felt the treacherous slip of the water beneath his feet moments before the floor was rising up ahead of him and his kneecap smacking hard against the ground. Hux scrambled over the tiles, desperate to get away, pain and panic ringing through his body.

 _Not again_ , he begged silently, as the alpha's weight pinned him down, immovable and terrifying. _Not again, not again, not again_ \- 

There was a nauseating crack. Rodinon collapsed onto him and Hux gave a cry of helpless rage; it took him a moment to realize someone else was speaking. Someone new.

"- to stay calm, sir - can you hear me? Did I hit you? Sir -"

A young woman's voice. Hux looked up, eyes wide, breathing hard, to see Lusica Stynnix standing over them with a bloodied wrench in one hand.

* * *

As if to add insult to injury, Dr Caldwell's new patient isolation room was Hux's old single cabin. The grey-haired beta had given him a brisk examination before tossing him an emergency survival blanket and a carton of electrolyte water and telling him to stay where he was.

Before Exile, medical care in the First Order had been mostly dispensed by droids, but since the Republic had some mad idea about droids being semi-sentient beings who couldn't be held responsible for the transgressions of their slavers, that was no longer an option. Dr Caldwell was apparently not a droid, but her continued presence here was the only reliable evidence Hux had ever seen to that end.

He glanced numbly around at the featureless walls of his previous home. _And to think, all I had to do to secure a private room was narrowly avoid getting raped_ , he told himself with a kind of brittle, manic amusement. Then he pressed his hands against his eyes until the urge to cry had passed.

As the time passed, Hux considered trying to sleep, but quickly gave up on the idea. He was too unsettled, and though he'd had the opportunity to dress again, his body felt cold all over, as if he'd overdosed slightly on stimulants. After what felt like hours, the door opened, and Hux sat up, wrapping the thin metallic blanket around his own shoulders. General Engell shot him a sympathetic look as she entered.

"How are you feeling?"

"You may be surprised to hear this, General, but I'm feeling rather shit, actually," Hux told her. "Where's Caldwell?"

"She's in discussions with the Supreme Leader." Engell sat down. "It might help you to hear that Lieutenant Rodinon is dead."

"Dead?" Hux frowned. "Why is the Supreme Leader executing my officers without permission?"

"He isn't. Lusica managed to fracture his skull." Engell raised her eyebrows. "I imagine you'll want to address that, at some point."

"Reprimanding an officer for saving me isn't exactly high on my list of priorities."

"I was thinking more along the lines of a commendation."

Hux stared at her.

"I'm not certain commendations are even still relevant," was all he said, after an extended silence.

"Perhaps not. But some sort of acknowledgement might be prudent, at least."

Though Hux couldn't argue, neither could he think of any way to respond; his head was still buzzing. The narrow window above him was dark, but he was fairly sure they were in the early hours of the morning now.

"When you're ready," Engell continued, "We're going to need to talk about the layout of the compound. For now, once Caldwell discharges you, I suggest you get some sleep. There's a spare bunk in my barracks, and it's omega-only. I'll make sure you aren't disturbed."

"I don't-" Hux bit his cheek. A hot, directionless anger flared in his belly. "Thank you, General, but I doubt I'll get much sleep anyway. I'd rather make myself useful than stare at the ceiling."

Engell looked skeptical, but smiled as she stood up anyway, and there was a pity in it that Hux didn't like. "You know where to find me if you change your mind."

She left him alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scene summary: Hux goes to the communal freshers to shower after he returns to the compound. He believes he's alone, but Lieutenant Rodinon - who seems to be going into rut - barges into his shower cubicle and attempts to assault him. Hux, who has left the knife back with his clothing, attempts to fight Rodinon off physically and it is implied that this kind of thing has happened to him before. The attack is brought to a sudden end by Lusica Stynnix sneaking up on them both and hitting Rodinon in the head with a wrench.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short one. Sorry! Covid, etc. As always, comments are adored and appreciated, even very brief ones.

Absent of anything better to do - and unwilling to try his luck with the heat-cabin again - Hux headed to the only part of the compound where anyone was still working.

Their fabrication engineers were on round-the-clock shifts. Turns out that if you want to provide the necessities of life for a small colony of people, you're going to need a _lot_ of equipment. Hux's presence raised a few eyebrows, but the extra hands were sorely needed.

Kylo found him still there at dawn, sweating and cursing over a mechanical plough.

"You're supposed to be resting," he told Hux, without any preamble. Hux wiped oil from his own cheek and glared.

"I don't recall you ordering me to rest, Supreme Leader."

"Well, I'm doing it now."

The thought abruptly occurred to Hux that Kylo had been made aware of last night's assault. It made him feel ashamed. Weak, and resentful of the fact that Kylo was now aware of this weakness, this crack in his armour that the Supreme Leader could slide a knife into. To cover his blush, he slammed his wrench down onto the worktop and straightened up.

"Very well, _sir_ ," he replied, mockingly obsequious. "Should I allow myself to be confined to the medical cabin, or-"

Kylo didn't so much as roll his eyes. "There's a spare bunk in mine. Vicrul and Ap'lek are meditating there, but they won't disturb you."

Hux wondered, with gritted teeth, if the two Knights had been assigned there to babysit him. "I suppose that means I'll be prohibited from attending this morning's command meeting, _sir_?"

"It's been moved to the afternoon." Kylo turned around, cloak swinging irritatingly. "Get some fucking sleep, General."

Hux tailed after him, keeping his spine straight and his eyes on the back of Kylo's head. The compound was already awake, with people gathering around various fires and tables in the absence of a big enough mess hall. Hux didn't need to look around to know he was being stared at. Did everyone know? It made him feel filthy, in a way that couldn't merely be remedied by another shower or five.

At least his heat was over. Small mercies.

Kylo, naturally, had commandeered one of the least shitty cabins for himself and his pack of unwashed thugs. The door was open: he could see candlelight and shadows within. It was just like the Supreme Leader to tack black cowls over every window and deck the whole bloody place out like the bedroom of a disturbed teenager. Resigned, he stepped over the threshold-

And _froze_.

His heartbeat sped up. All at once, his palms were slick with sweat and he felt as if his knee tendons had been cut. Hux grabbed the doorframe for support, and resisted the urge to gasp for breath. Was he ill, on top of everything else? The explanation came to him with stark clarity a moment later. It was in the air, it was the very air of this room. The barracks smelt like _alpha_.

 _You're being ridiculous_ , he told himself. _Pull yourself together, for kriff's sake._ And yet he could no more take another step than he could convince himself to walk into a burning building. Fear took control of him, fixed the soles of his feet to the ground, the fluttering of his heart to his throat.

"General."

Kylo looked back at him from inside. Hux swallowed dryly, willing himself to speak.

"I..." he managed, but his voice croaked into nothing. _Weak. Pathetic. Omega._

The Supreme Leader seemed to realize, then, and he looked faintly apologetic. "I'll take you to Engell's barracks," he muttered, moving closer to take Hux's arm, presumably to support him, but Hux jerked away and staggered back, only barely able to right himself.

"I can find my own way there," he snapped, and didn't wait for an answer.


End file.
